


When the Snow Melts

by Elfflame



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2006-03-19
Updated: 2006-06-16
Packaged: 2017-10-18 23:24:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/194432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfflame/pseuds/Elfflame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Lucius's death, Severus takes the time to open Narcissa's eyes to a world her husband denied her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Winter's Thaw

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N** : An AU where Lucius died shortly after his Lord. Originally part of a larger series, but works much better without the rest. The title comes from my favorite Anime, Fruits Basket: “Q: When the snow melts, what does it become? A: Spring.” This is about Narcissa’s “blossoming,” hence references to Winter and Spring. I hope you all enjoy it. Huge thank you to Foodie, who betad this for me, despite huge arguments about this first chapter in particular. I think it’s much better for it. :D  
>  **Dedication** : To the lovely Princessjessia, without who I would not have even bothered, most likely. :D  
>  **Disclaimer** : Not mine, but for the idea.

Narcissa should have known there was something wrong.  The house elves never woke her.  Ever.  So the fact that this house elf had not only bothered to wake her, but, despite shuddering in a heap on the floor, would not leave her alone until she dressed and followed it, should have set off alarm bells in her head.  But the truth was, all her mental alarm bells were currently only set to go off if her husband was in the room, which he wasn’t.

However, when the elf began to lead her to his bedroom, a room she had not entered since she had become pregnant with Draco nearly three years before, they began to go off with a vengeance.  And when she found her husband, sprawled nude across his horribly rumpled silk-covered bed, his ice-blue eyes glassy and staring at the ceiling, she realized why.  She quickly looked away from him, trying to still the panic and nausea that was threatening to push a scream from her throat.

She turned to her husband’s fireplace, calmed herself, and flooed the Ministry.  

Later, she looked back on the chaos and the accusations, and realized that the only reason she made it through at all was because Severus had followed the Ministry wizards by only moments.  She had flooed him after informing the Ministry, as he was the only person she truly trusted any more.  He had taken everything in hand, and she had gratefully ceded him the power.  Lucius’s death had been ruled a suicide, but Narcissa knew that the truth was that Lucius’s former colleagues had finally had enough of him, and with the Dark Lord’s recent failed task of trying to rid the world of Potters, there was no one left to restrain them.  They must have decided that Lucius’s constant attempts to control them had become too much to take.  She wouldn’t have been surprised had Bella herself been the one who had done this.

Narcissa had never been an emotional woman.  Eight years married to Lucius Malfoy had taught her that emotions only led to pain.  Even as a child, though, she had been quite circumspect in her responses to others.  So it surprised her when she came to depend on Severus's support, not only that day, but also in the months following Lucius's death.

One evening, nearly six months after Lucius had been found dead in his room, the two of them had ceased their quiet conversation when Draco had crawled up onto Severus’s lap and fallen fast asleep.  Narcissa had a house-elf take him up to bed while she and Severus finished their quiet supper together, which was quickly becoming a regular thing.  Severus could not visit every night, as his duties at Hogwarts kept him busy, and sometimes several days would pass before he came to visit.  Narcissa found herself looking forward to his visits.  Unlike Lucius, he was willing to talk, and to listen, and when she talked with him he was always understanding, and so Narcissa almost felt she could speak to him about anything.  However, this evening, when he finally broached the subject he had obviously wanted to speak to her about all evening, she was horrified.

“Narcissa, surely having me nearby can’t be good for your social life.  Perhaps I should not presume upon you too much?”

Narcissa looked at him, hurt that he would think her so callous.  “You are the only one worth having nearby, Severus.  Why should I bother with anyone else?”

“But surely you must have had others you were close to over the years?  Friends?  Lovers?” he asked quietly.

Narcissa’s eyes widened in alarm.  Was that what he had wanted?  “And precisely what business of yours is that?” she asked him in a cold voice.  Severus was a good friend, but that did not spare him the sharp side of her tongue.

“I know the relationship you and Lucius had was far from ideal.  He was hardly a nice man.  His physical relationships weren't about love, but power.  And I know that he always made sure he was the one who had the power.  I am certain it was not easy to live with.”

She looked away from him, embarrassed by the subject.  This was hardly appropriate supper conversation.  They had had brief conversations about Severus’s own lovers, almost all of whom were male, but this was a bit much.  Besides which, it made her uncomfortable.  “I survived.  After Draco he was less…demanding than before.”

The look of anger that flashed across his face made her shiver, but it quickly disappeared.  “Only because he went and found others who were willing to play his games.  Weren’t you ever curious why he stopped visiting you?”

“No.  Why should I?”

“Never mind.  I should not have asked.”  He smiled grimly, and took another sip of his wine.  

“What exactly is this about, Severus?”

“Forget that I said anything.  I should not have bothered you with it.”

Narcissa was not a normally curious person.  Lucius had beaten what little curiosity she had out of her in their early years.  But this was very unusual, and she couldn't just let it go.  “You didn't just bring it up for no reason, Severus.  What is it?”

He stood and walked to her side of the table, then knelt down in front of her and looked up to meet her eyes.  “Narcissa, I do not wish to see Lucius win.  He's hurt you.  Severely.  I…I would be willing to help you.  If you would let me.”

“Help…me?  How?”

“However you'll let me, Narcissa.  I want to show you that sex…doesn't have to be as I am sure that he showed you.  That there can be…pleasure; that it doesn’t have to be painful.”

Narcissa found herself laughing hoarsely for a moment before she pushed away from Severus and the table, and walked to the fireplace that dominated the far wall of the room so she could avoid looking at him; this man she'd trusted, when she'd promised herself years ago that she'd never put herself in that vulnerable position again.  She felt the cold settle in her stomach.  "I see.  So, what?  You want to take his place?  In my bed?  In this house?"  She could feel the bile on her tongue.  How could she have misjudged him so badly?

"No."  She jumped when she felt him brush her arm.  He was so silent.  She had not heard him approach.  At least with Lucius, she’d always known when he was near.  The man had never been the sort to hide from others.  

He saw the look oh her face and backed up a step, seeking to try to calm her.  "I wish to offer you a chance at a real life, free from the pain of the memories he inflicted upon you."  She looked up at him now.  She saw none of the angry lust she had seen so often on Lucius's face.  Just simple concern, nothing else.

No other man had ever been concerned about her.  Even her father had wanted her only for what she could do for him, though she had managed to escape his lust through Bella's more than willing help.  There was no reason for her to believe Snape could really be any different.  At least Draco was a boy.  And a baby at that.  

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I know what it is like to be Lucius's victim.  I remember…how he took what he wished without thought of his lover.  Compassion wasn't exactly his strong point.”

This startled her.  She’d known that Severus had mostly male lovers, but Lucius?  “What are you saying?  That Lucius…and you?”

His face closed off and he pulled away from her.  “Don't tell me you paid no attention to the rumours about Lucius's frequent liaisons with most of the boys and girls in our house, not to mention a few from the others?”

Truth be told, Narcissa had heard rumours, but she had always passed them off as sour grapes.  Horrified, she moved away from Snape.  “Honestly, Severus, I don't care.  I'm quite happy the way I am.”

He stepped towards her, not willing to let her drop the subject quite yet.  “Are you?  You are happy not being close to anyone?  Having no one to trust?  No one but Draco to love?  Do you even allow yourself to love him?”

She looked away from him.  He had a point, but she wouldn't let him know that.

“I will not push, Narcissa.  I am not Lucius.  I just want you to know.  It does not have to be this way.  And I am willing to help.  If you ever find yourself changing your mind, you have only to ask.”  He looked solemnly at her for a moment, then turned to leave the room.  But at the doorway, he paused and looked back at her.  “I would be there for you in a heartbeat, Narcissa.”  Then, without another word, he left.

Over the succeeding weeks, Severus continued to visit, but neither of them mentioned the conversation they had had again.  Each visit ended shortly after Draco was sent to bed, with Severus simply taking her hand each time, kissing it, then departing once more, his words from that conversation still ringing in her ears.  'I would be there for you in a heartbeat.'

Narcissa found herself thinking of their conversations more and more.  Particularly on the nights when Severus was unable to visit.  She knew he would not push now.  If he had been that type, she would have found herself underneath him that first night. Whether or not she wanted it.  But he was not Lucius.  His interests lay elsewhere.  He was simply offering her his help.  She knew that the next step was up to her.  What she didn't know was if she wanted to take it.

She found herself thinking of those first years together with Lucius, while they were still in school.  She remembered how pleased she had been when she had caught his attention, and anything he had done had made her feel special and cared for.  But that had all disappeared when they had married.  Nothing she had done was good enough, and his anger had been taken out on her time and again, in their bed and out of it.  She had been so pleased when he had given her a room of her own after she had gotten pregnant that she had never thought more about it.  

But now she recalled those girlhood dreams of what marriage would be like: a loving husband, several children, being together because they enjoyed each other's company…  Why had she allowed him to take that away from her?  Really, if she admitted it to herself, she wanted those dreams back.  But could she really recapture them, or was it too late for her?

More time passed, and soon she began to feel an emotion she couldn't recall ever having felt.  Anger.  Pure rage, targeted at Lucius Malfoy.  How dare he?  He had taken her and beat her down, so that she was simply grateful when he left her alone.  Her pride took over at that point.  She could not allow Lucius to do this to her.  She wouldn't let the bastard win.  She was from a line even older than his own.  Surely she deserved better than he had given her.

Unfortunately, the little she knew about intimate matters terrified her.  Severus had been right.  Lucius had never been a particularly cautious or caring partner.  The times he had been with her had been angry, violent, and at the very least, embarrassing, at the worst, horrifying.  Perhaps if she read up on intimate matters, she might feel less apprehensive about it.  Though Narcissa had been proud to be a Slytherin, when she had been sorted, the hat had suggested sending her to Ravenclaw.  She had declined, though, recalling with horror her parents' reactions when her older sister, Andromeda, had been sorted into Hufflepuff.  But she had kept the Ravenclaw tendency for study all through her schooling.  And that had followed her into her adult life as well.  She loved books.  Books could answer anything.  So, with great curiosity, she turned to the Malfoy library, to see what she could find.

At first, the search turned up nothing usable.  After all, Lucius Malfoy was hardly interested in gentle lovemaking and from what she remembered, Abraxas seemed to have been much the same.  He certainly hadn’t treated Lucius’s mother much better than Lucius had treated her after they’d been married.  So why would either of them have kept any books on the subject?  

Once Narcissa began to delve into the further recesses of the library, though, unused and ignored by everyone but the house-elves for at least two generations, she found a small handful of leather-bound books that she thought might help.  She took them back to her room and began to read.

Most of the books spoke of soulmates and orgasms, and coital pleasure.  These concepts were completely unhelpful, as the only encounters she had experienced with Lucius had been painful and miserable.  She and Lucius had never been soulmates.  She paged through each of these books, one by one, her annoyance growing with each page turned.

Finally, near the bottom of the stack, she found one that seemed much more useful.  It had actually been written by a woman around the turn of the seventeenth century, and detailed her experiences as a courtesan.  Narcissa spent several days immersed in the book, fascinated by the fine points the woman described for each encounter.  

After the third reading of the book, Narcissa began to wonder.  She had always assumed that sex was something that only men enjoyed, and that it was good only for procreation.  But this book…well, it gave her ideas.  She wondered if she could actually do some of the things the woman had described.  She blushed as she found herself wondering exactly what Severus looked like under his robes; if that pale ivory skin was the same all over his body.

That night, as she relaxed in her evening bath, she found herself curious.  She knew she had a good body.  Lucius wouldn't have even looked at her if she hadn't been near perfect.  But it had years since they had married.  And she had had Draco.  It had stretched her body out of shape.  She had never been like Bella, who had gloried in looking at herself in the mirror when she wasn't being adored by one man or another.  Why should she look at herself as a sexual creature?  After all, Lucius had proved to her that that was a tasteless, horrible act.  

But now…the book had given her ideas.  Reading certain parts of the book had left her skin sensitive to the touch, recalling the days when she had actually believed in love, and Lucius's kisses had left her tingling.  She placed her hands on her breasts, recalling the tickling pull she had felt the few times Lucius had allowed her to breast-feed Draco.  The book had talked about how the courtesan's best clients had been able to make her climax through manipulation of her breasts.  She rubbed lightly at her nipples, and was rather startled by the curl of heat that shot from her breasts down her body to that other spot between her legs.  She closed her eyes and sank further under the suds, rubbing and gasping, but unable to achieve anything further.  She finally left the tub that night, tingling but quite unsatisfied.

It was definitely time to take Severus up on his offer.

When Severus next came for a visit, she was ready.  After they put Draco to bed, Severus took her hand as usual.  But this time, instead of letting him pull it to his lips and disappear, she wrapped her hand around his.

“Severus.”  Narcissa was not a woman to lose her poise easily, but she could feel her heart fluttering in her throat as he looked up to meet her eyes.

“Yes, Narcissa?”  That silken voice sent shivers down her spine.  How had she never noticed how sensual his voice was before?

She swallowed.  “I…have been thinking about what you said.  Can we talk?”

He nodded, obviously unsurprised by the request, and followed her to her private sitting room off her bedroom.  She waved him to sit, and followed to perch on her favourite settee, her legs tucked neatly underneath.  It was hard to meet his eyes, but she steeled herself.  She was a Black.  She could do this.  It certainly couldn't be worse than eight years married to Lucius Malfoy.  She could see that he was waiting for her to speak.

“I have decided that you are right, Severus.  I cannot allow him to control me.  He is gone.”  She stopped, unsure how to continue.

Severus nodded, but stayed silent.

“I…I would like…your help.”

There was no astonishment on his face, just simple acceptance.  “I only hope that I live up to your trust in me, Narcissa.”  He stood, then moved and knelt down by her side.  He took one of her pale, shaking hands.  “We will go only as far as you are comfortable with.  When you want to stop, simply let me know.  I won't force anything on you, Narcissa.  I want you to be relaxed.  I want you to feel you can ask me anything.”  He gazed at her for a moment.  “Is there anything in particular you wished to try tonight?  Or did you want to wait…?”

“No!”  She chided herself for losing her composure.  “I mean…” she swallowed again.  “I have been reading.”  He smiled.  Few of her “friends” knew of her predilection for reading, but she and Severus had spent many hours together in the Hogwarts library the few years they had shared at the school.  She smiled back at him, lost in peaceful memories.  It calmed her, and she met his eyes more directly.  “I found a wonderful book, Severus.  It was quite…educational.”

“Oh?” a dark eyebrow raised.  “Do I get to read it?”

She smiled.  “If you'd like.”

“And what did you find in this book, Narcissa?”

“She speaks of many things that I had trouble wrapping my thoughts around.  I thought…”  The nervousness was back.  “Lucius was never…tender.”  Her mouth twisted into a frown.  “His kisses were…bruising, claiming.  Even when he was acting the suitor.  I thought that was—normal.  But she speaks of kisses as though they were a banquet in themselves.”  She tried to slow her heartbeat as she gazed into his deep black eyes.  “Would…would you—show me?”  She could feel her cheeks flame pink.

She could see the teasing in his eyes before he spoke.  “So, just a kiss?  Nothing else, Narcissa?”

Amused but embarrassed, she looked away for a moment, took a deep breath, then met his eyes, feeling stronger.  “She says that there are many types of kiss.  I want to…understand.  I mean, how can kisses by the same person be different, Sev?”  The use of his nickname was meant to chide.

He only smiled.  “Let me show you.”  He took her hand and kissed it, the same way he had many times before.  Narcissa looked at him, bemused.  Then he turned over her hand so that her palm was up, and brushed her fingers outward so that the palm was completely exposed.  He leaned down and kissed once more, but this time, she could feel the movement of his lips across her skin.  She felt a bit of that heat speed to her lower regions.  It was different.  The difference between grape juice and wine.  Severus looked up at her again.  “Well?”

“I was hoping for something a bit closer to my lips, Sev.  But it was…very nice.”

He smiled.  “Lean forward.”  She scooted towards him.  “Tilt your head slightly to the right.”  She complied, leaning her face towards him.  “Close your eyes, Nissa.”  She had not heard that nickname in years.  He was the only one who had ever used it, and the comfortable familiarity calmed her a bit.  Her eyes fell closed, then she felt him lean in, and felt his lips lightly brush hers.  Then they were gone, and she opened her eyes.  Was that it?  

He smirked, and scolded her.  “Keep them closed, Nissa.”  She nodded and closed her eyes once more.  She felt his hands on her shoulders, and then his lips were on hers once more, and this time she was vaguely reminded of her husband.  But only for a moment.  Where Lucius's kisses were crushing, here there was simple pressure; where Lucius was demanding, Severus was gentle and tender.  

When he pulled away once more, she smiled, but kept her eyes closed.  Now his arms slid around her shoulders, and when she felt the pressure on her lips once more, she sighed.  At this, the velvet of his tongue slid across her lips, and startled, she gasped, her mouth opening under his.  The tip of his tongue met hers, caressing it as she sighed into his mouth.  He pulled away, and when his arms disappeared from around her shoulders, she opened her eyes.

He looked at her expectantly.  “Thank you.  That was…very nice.”

He smiled.  “Lucius never did learn how to appreciate the treasures he had.”  His hand reached up and brushed a curl from her face.  “He didn't deserve you.”

She looked away.  “I was always certain it was the other way around.”  She sighed, then looked back at her friend.  “Thank you, Severus.  I'll have to think about what else I'd like to try.  That was a very lovely…experiment,” she smiled.

“I'm just glad it was successful.  You don't deserve to have someone else hurt you.”  He stood up, and held out his hand to help her up.  “I should go.  Should I come back tomorrow, or do you need time?”

Narcissa thought about it.  “Tomorrow, I think.”  She smiled, then leaned towards her friend, stretching up to catch his lips with her own.  “I'll look forward to it, Sev.”

“As will I, Nissa.”  He smiled, then left the room.

Narcissa slept well that night.


	2. First Bud

Narcissa had a dream that night.

She was lying on a bed covered in pale silk sheets, her body draped in a lace confection.  Severus stood at the foot of the bed, giving her the look she had seen when she had kissed him that night. 

She watched as he dropped his robe to the floor, and gasped when she saw that he wore nothing underneath.  He moved to lie beside her on the bed, and began to stroke her skin.  He missed not an inch, his long, slender fingers petting and swirling around more sensitive spots when she gasped. 

Then he was kneeling over her, his hands under the lace skirt, and his mouth descended on hers.  It was everything she remembered: sparks sending heat to her middle, her skin tingling at his touch, and her breath speeding up at his continued attentions.  Her arms moved up to encircle his neck.  She could feel the hard, hot evidence of his arousal, and waited for him to enter her…

And just as he moved forward to do so, she woke.  She panted for several minutes, trying to catch her breath, and shivered.  Next time, she promised herself.  Then she snuggled down into the sheets, and fell asleep.

When she woke the next morning, she decided she was pleased that Severus had taken to visiting every day, because she found herself very much looking forward to their next lesson.  Waiting for him to return the next evening was difficult enough, and the dream she’d had had helped almost not at all.  She couldn’t imagine having to wait days to see him again. 

The day had seemed to drag on forever, though Narcissa had spent it immersed in her book when she could, even taking a long bath to relax herself.  Once Severus had finally arrived, he had been so caught up in spending time with Draco that Narcissa had to restrain herself from sending her son to bed three hours early. 

After Draco had finally gone to bed, Narcissa, pleased and excited to finally be alone with Severus, quickly led him to her sitting room again.  He sat down in the same chair he had the night before, and Narcissa sat in the chair next to him.  Unfortunately, once they were seated, she had no idea how to broach the subject once more. 

Nervous and anxious, Narcissa folded her hands in her lap.  Biting the inside of her lip, she tried to think of a way to mention what they had done the previous evening. 

Finally, after several minutes, Severus cleared his throat, obviously realizing her struggle and wanting to help.  He turned towards her, his face surprisingly kind.  “Was there anything else you'd like to know, Narcissa?” he asked.

Narcissa felt her cheeks burn.  But she took a deep breath, and turned to face him.  “I looked at my book again today.  She talks a lot about…” she swallowed to moisten her suddenly very dry mouth, “t—touching.”  She had never liked being touched before.  And even if she had, she was certain that Lucius would have cured her of that quite quickly.  “She says that touches can be as sensual as a kiss.  Is that true?”

Severus raised an eyebrow.  “What sorts of touches does she talk about?”

Narcissa fought not to look down at her lap.  Her voice was soft when she spoke.  “Touches to the face and neck…  To the shoulders, waist and…breasts.”  As she spoke, it became more and more difficult to push the words past her lips, and the final word came out in a bare whisper of breath.  She was grateful, when, instead of asking more, Severus stood.

He moved to her side and knelt in front of her.  “I want you to tell me if what I am doing makes you uncomfortable, all right, Nissa?”  She nodded, and he reached out a long-fingered hand to stroke her cheek.  Her eyes fluttered closed at the first touch, but his hand stopped, and he said, “Keep your eyes open, Nissa.  I want you to see what is coming, so that you can stop me if you wish.”

“All right, Sev.”  She smiled.  He leant forward and kissed her softly before pulling away, his hand beginning to move from her face to down her neck.  They were just light touches and felt almost ticklish, really, Narcissa thought.

He leaned forward again, and a hand slid around her waist, making her start.  His lips softly brushed her cheek to calm her.  “Shh.  It is only me, Nissa.  I will not hurt you.  Trust me.”  The unspoken, ‘I am not him,’ lingered in the air around them, but she let his assurances calm her.

Unfortunately, when his hand came up to lightly cup her breast, she stiffened again.  After all, the last person to touch her there was Draco.  Lucius had lost his taste for them long before.  Severus’s hand stilled and he watched her face, concerned.  “Are you all right, Nissa?” he asked quietly.

She took a deep breath.  “Yes, it’s just…”

“I understand.  I can stop, if you wish.”  She shook her head, and he smiled.  “Is this what you wanted?” he asked, beginning to stroke her softly through her dress once more.

“It’s very…nice,” she managed.  She was more nervous than anything else, but the stroking did not hurt.

His mouth twisted into a smirk.  “Simply nice?”  His strokes became bolder, and she felt his thumb rub across a slowly hardening nipple, causing her to gasp at the contact.  He smiled.  “Was that a good gasp, Nissa?”

She was unable to speak because her throat seemed to have closed, so she nodded instead.  Severus’s hands moved then so that the heels of his palms were brushing heavily against her nipples now, and she let out another soft gasp, push into his hands automatically to get more of that lovely pressure.

After a few minutes of this sensual torture, Severus’s hands slid away from her breasts and down her sides to rest at her waist.  “How was that, Nissa?” he asked softly.

He head dropped to his shoulder as she tried to compose herself.  “That was…not at all what I expected, Sev.”

“But you liked it, I hope?”

Her head lifted from his shoulders, and she shot him a look.  “It was incredible.  And I’m quite sure you know that, Sev,” she replied pertly.  Then she smiled.  “Thank you,” she said, leaning forward to kiss him softly.

When she pulled away, she looked up at him for a long moment before asking, “May I try now?”  He inclined his head once in response, his hands never moving from her waist. 

She brought a hand up to cup his cheek, her thumb brushing his lips.  He kissed it as it passed.  Her fingers slid along the slightly stubble-rough skin of his jaw, then down his neck.  She reached his shoulder then stopped, uncertain where to go from there.

She looked up at him for guidance.  “I am...not sure what to do next,” she admitted. 

He gave her another soft kiss before one hand left her waist to clasp one of hers, which he then drew to his chest.  “Do whatever you wish.  I will let you know if I do not like what you are doing.”

Narcissa took a breath, pressing the hand against his chest.  She slid her palm across until she felt a small peak under his robe.  She found herself wondering what it looked like under his clothing—whether it was pink or tan or peach.  Even more, she found herself wondering what it would taste like, and how it would feel to slide her tongue across it or to suck it into her mouth.  She was so distracted by her own musing that she missed Severus’s soft sigh, but she couldn’t miss how he shifted to press more into her hand.  She looked up at him and saw that his eyes were closed, his head tilted back a slight bit, baring his neck, and his lips parted just the slightest bit.

She didn’t bother to restrain herself from leaning forward to capture his lips, enjoying the surprised gasp he made.  Their tongues met, and soon they were sliding against each other, mapping out each other’s mouths, swallowing each other’s whimpers and moans.  Her arms went up around his neck as they kissed, and she could feel his hands had moved to her back.  One rested, palm flat against the small of her back, while the other played up and down her spine, almost as though his fingers were dancing along they keys of a piano.

She tangled a hand in his lank hair, and a hand slid down to his arm, pushing her body towards him to get more of whatever she could.  Unfortunately, this brought her into direct contact with the evidence that Severus was enjoying this quite as much as she was.  She pulled away abruptly, unable to hide her discomfort.

Severus sighed, then moved back to his own chair before speaking.  “I apologize, Narcissa.  I should not have let things go so far.  I should have warned you I was becoming…aroused…by what we were doing.”

Narcissa shook her head.  “No, Severus.  I should have expected it.  It just…  I wasn’t…”

“It is quite all right, Nissa.  Perhaps we should stop here tonight?”

Narcissa wanted to continue, but she could still feel the thrill of horror that had shot through her when she had felt—that.  “Perhaps,” she agreed reluctantly.  “Will you continue to visit, or…”

Severus stood and moved to kneel in front of her once more.  “I will always come to spend time with you and with Draco.  Anything more is entirely up to you.  If you do not feel comfortable continuing…”

“No!”  Narcissa was a bit startled by her own outburst, but still, she shook her head.  She calmed herself, then reached out and took one of Severus’s hands.  “It will take me time, but…  I don’t want to stop.”

He smiled at that.  “Then we will not.  Would you like to wait a few days, or should I return tomorrow?”

“Please come back tomorrow.  Draco and I both enjoy your visits.  Perhaps, since tomorrow is Saturday, you could come a bit earlier, and the three of us could go for a walk in the gardens?  I know Draco would love to have more time with you.  He adores you so.”

“I do have a few things that must be dealt with, but I believe I should be able to accomplish everything by early afternoon.”  He stood, and Narcissa followed suit.  “I will see you soon, Nissa.”  He lifted her hand, kissed the back of it, then he was gone.

Narcissa dreamed again that night.

This time, it was Severus spread out on the bed, a silken robe barely concealing his form. 

Narcissa knelt over him, wearing the sheerest of her negligees.  Her fingers were brushing across his skin, tracing muscles, angles and scars.  Slowly she peeled the silk from his skin, until she uncovered his dusky nipples. 

Her fingers reached out to brush against them, plucking at them, watching as they peaked under her fingers.  The sounds he made as she played with them were wonderful.  Soft gasps and moans that made her grind a bit against his leg.  And the taste of them when she finally pulled one into her mouth…  Even after she woke, the dream-taste lingered—a mix of salt and smoke and lime, and all Severus’s own.

He writhed under her ministrations for a long time, finally turning the tables on her.  He rolled so that she was suddenly spread out under him.  This time, the heat of him pressing into her didn’t startle her at all.  His mouth was on hers, and she lost herself in him.  He slid between her legs, pulling them up so that she cradled him between them. 

He pushed forward, and Narcissa woke with a cry.  She lay tangled in her sheets, panting and startled at what had just happened.  She’d never come before, but that had definitely been what had just happened.  It had felt incredible.  And it was all because of Severus.

Yes, they were definitely going to have to continue with their lessons.  And she intended on going much further next time.


End file.
